Who is Witney Carson, explainer: Meet Robert Irwin’s new Dancing with the Stars partner | Dancing career, family, husband, and everything to know

There’s a new woman in Robert Irwin’s life – well, strictly on the dance floor, that is.

It’s just been revealed that Irwin, 21, is set to compete for the famous mirror ball trophy on Dancing With the Stars US with American professional dancer Witney Carson, 31.

As the news was announced, Carson described the Australian-born Wildlife Warrior a “special human,” as he follows in sister Bindi Irwin’s dancing footsteps by going on the show.

Watch the video above. 

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9honey Celebrity takes a look at who Witney is, as the pair prepare for their twirl around the dance floor. 

Upon the news that they’re working together on the hit show, Carson shared a promotional image of the pair together in matching pink outfits and wrote: “I’m honored and privileged to work with this special human @robertirwinphotography!”

“I cannot wait to start this journey with you ✨🤍🫶🏼💃.”

Irwin also shared his excitement, writing in his post: “I am so lucky to have the best dance partner for this amazing Dancing With The Stars adventure! I can’t believe it’s finally happening, here we go!! 🎉@witneycarson.”

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Carson hails from Utah and has been on DWTS US for years.

In 2014, she was named a professional dance partner for contestants, having been a troupe dancer for the show.

She has previously appeared on So You Think You Can Dance and has been a host on the game show Catch 21.

Some Aussie fans of the show might recognise her, she danced with Aussie singer and swimmer Cody Simpson on the show’s 18th season.

It seems Irwin might be in with a good chance at winning the coveted mirror ball trophy, which sister Bindi won in 2015 alongside dance pro Derek Hough, as Carson has won the show once, in late 2014. 

In 2023, she made headlines for announcing she wouldn’t be taking part in season 32 of the show.

At the time, she reportedly said she felt “very at peace with it” and made the decision to put her Florida-based family first. She had given birth just months earlier.

“This was not a decision that we took lightly at all,” she explained in a TikTok video at the time.

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“…You guys know that family is the most important thing to me, and we just really felt that moving our entire family across the country right now was not for us,” she said.

“[Her son Kevin Leo] Leo’s at an age where he needs consistency and dependability and he hasn’t had that ever since he’s been born. So we’re just really trying to give him that now. I also feel like I’m not quite mentally and physically ready for what the show calls for.”

Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell’s wedding photos

She is married to husband Carson McAllister and the pair share two children. 

They have been together for almost 14 years, she revealed in a recent Instagram post.

But now she’s back for a new season of Dancing With the Stars – and more ready than ever.

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Irwin and Carson actually first met when Bindi was on the show years ago when he was just a kid.

Robert told People he feels “protected” with Carson as his dance partner.

She added: “I just feel like a sense of responsibility, kind of even though you’re grown.”

She jokingly added about his Bonds campaign: “I’ve seen the underwear ads, so I understand you’re grown!”

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